The three Kneeland boys, Tom, Ken and yours truly, were on a fishing adventure funded by our inheritance after we lost our beloved father, Frank, the spring before.  Dad was a momentous force in all our lives, and we all feel a little lost without him there to counsel us, tease us or just to listen to our exploits. But, thanks to him we were involved in a great adventure with our ladies - Sandy, Kathy and Sharyn.  It was a trip none of us will ever forget! 

We took an afternoon tour of Cabo San Lucas and had lunch and a drink at Cabo Wabo.  Then we headed north to Los Barriles and Hotel Palmas de Cortez. This hotel is the crown jewel of the Van Wormer Resorts, who also own Hotel Playa Del Sol right down the beach, and Hotel Punta Colorada, which is located about 15 miles south of town at Punta Arena.  

The Van Wormer family was one of the pioneers of sportfishing in Baja, and have been operating hotels in the area since 1954.  Hotel Palmas de Cortez has 46 rooms, all with air conditioning and views of the sea.  They also offer ten 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom condos with spacious living rooms, separate bedrooms, and complete kitchen facilities.

We arrived just in time for dinner in the spacious dining room adorned with statues of leaping marlin and highlighted by the immense windows looking over the Sea of Cortez.  The cool and breezy weather complemented the excellent dinner of roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy fresh vegetables, and a scrumptious raspberry cheesecake for dessert.  Then we were off to bed in our large comfortable rooms to get some rest before the fishing on the morrow.

At daybreak we had a fine breakfast while watching the glimmering orange hued dawn, then walked to the dock just a few yards down the beach to board our boat.  All six of us fished on the 29' cruiser Marie II with Captain Martin and mate Alejandro.  Tuna were in the area off the cape, so we ran southeast for over an hour.  

There was a firm breeze blowing from the south, ruffling the cobalt blue sea and making it hard to spot marlin or other fish on the surface.  Suddenly, the boat slowed and we found ourselves surrounded by dozens of porpoise, nimbly swimming, diving and frolicking as they kept pace with the boat.  We put out four rods, all set up with trolling feathers of different colors and sizes.  After trolling through the school of porpoise for a few minutes, the starboard rod went off with a schoolie yellowfin tuna taking it to the horizon.  

Tom grabbed the Shimano Bluewater rod and was almost dragged over the side of the boat by the tuna's first strong run!  He was off balance and not ready for the muscular pull of these robust fighters!  He gained his balance and started cranking on the Shimano Trinidad 40 reel as the tuna cooled off.

Soon we saw color and the mate quickly gaffed a nice yellowfin of about 20 pounds.  Tom couldn't believe the size of the fish - he said it felt like at least 100 pounds!    

As we were admiring the first tuna of the trip, another rod went off and the drag started screaming.  Sandy was next up, and she gallantly grabbed the rod and held on.  Then she asked what she was supposed to do?  She had never caught a fish before!  

We all chipped in with mixed advice that served to really confuse her.."keep the rod tip up". "reel up the line". " no, turn the handle the other way".'bow the rod toward the fish."

Tom was helping her hold the rod as she totally ignored our heartfelt counsel and cranked on the reel as hard as she could.  In just a few moments, the mate gaffed another schoolie tuna, and Sandy was proud as a peacock with her first ever fish. 

We moved to another school of porpoise and took turns catching several other football-sized tuna up to about 25 pounds.  We would have lots of good fillets for the icebox.  The wind was freshening and the ocean was getting a little roily, so we decided to head in and relax at the hotel. 

Thursday morning, I walked down to the dining room to get a cup of coffee about 5:30 and noticed the wind blowing from the southeast about 20 miles per hour.  I thought to myself, "this is not a good sign!"  We headed down to the boats after breakfast, and the surf breaking on the beach was the largest I have ever seen on the Sea of Cortez.  Just boarding the boats from the elevated dock was quite an adventure, kind of like trying to mount a very spirited horse first thing in the morning. There was a hurricane growing south of Cabo that was sending this unusual weather.   

As we trolled to the southeast, the wind quieted for a while, and the glassy sea was rolling in 8' mounds, reflecting the rising sun below ominous clouds to the east.  The captain spotted a large sea turtle off the port side, and Alejandro tossed a live mackerel right next to him.  Bam!  

The bait was inhaled by a nice dorado. Sharyn was up so she grabbed the rod and fought the strong fish like a pro.  Soon she subdued a dazzling 20 pound bull dorado, shining like molten gold in the sapphire blue of the sea.  Tom and Sandy couldn't believe the shimmering colors of the dorado, looking like nothing they had ever imagined.

We started trolling in the direction of the tuna fleet when suddenly there was a huge splash behind the boat and the line was ripped off the port outrigger.  I grabbed the Qualia rod and Advanz reel combo as a magnificent bull dorado leapt 6 feet in the air and crashed into the roily water.  

It was all I could do to hang on as the drag screamed and line poured off the reel.  Suddenly the huge fish was airborne again - four, five, six times he jumped in rapid succession - the low sun glinting off his brilliant luminous sides as he arched back into the water - vibrant electric blue on top and rich, effervescent gold on the sides.  

On his seventh jump, he soared into the air and tumbled headfirst into the waves - and was gone!  There is nothing quite like the dead, empty feeling in the pit of a fisherman's stomach when he loses a big fish - an overwhelming feeling of loss and complete helplessness!  Nothing you can do but grin and bear it and hope for another chance.

By now the wind was blowing 35 miles per hour and creating 2-foot whitecaps on top of 10-foot swells.  It reminded me of a bad day at Bodega Bay.  My crew was getting queasy and uncomfortable, so we called it a day and headed back to our secure quarters onshore.  I have never seen the Sea of Cortez that rough.  The 29' diesel cruiser handled it well, but we were all glad to be headed back to our protected sanctuary onshore.

That evening as we sat outside and watched the waves crash the beach, one of the hotel porters came up and asked me to come down to their sister property, Hotel Playa del Sol, to see and photograph a big marlin.  

And he wasn't kidding - John Walraven from Clovis was fishing in a 22' panga when he hooked and landed an 898 pound blue marlin on 60 pound test line!  It was a monster of a fish, over 14 feet long.  It took 3 hours and 40 minutes to land, and they estimated the great fish towed the panga over 5 miles! You never know what might be lurking below your lures in the Sea of Cortez! 

As always, our trip to Hotel Palmas de Cortez was too short.  The hotel is extremely comfortable and pleasing to the eye, from the infinity pool to the huge tile showers in every room.  The food is plentiful and delicious, and the service is top notch.  The Van Wormer family has added a wonderful Italian restaurant right next door to the hotel called La Taberna di Don Roberto, featuring gourmet Italian food and fantastic patio dining overlooking the sea.  

And now they have available condominiums for purchase in the Villas de Cortez, a five-story structure on the beach with 26 units available for purchase, including studio, 1 and 2 bedroom suites and even a penthouse on the top floor.  We toured this incredible facility, and the design and furnishing were nothing short of spectacular, from the marble floors and countertops, to the cedar-trimmed walls and gorgeous cabinetry.  If you are looking for a very special place to call home in Baja, you need to check out the Villas de Cortez.  Some of these units are available for rent as well.